Cement maker Lafarge and miner Anglo American have agreed to sell British assets for up to £285 million ($452 million) to Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, thus clearing the way for a building materials joint venture in the country.

Global miner Anglo American is set to take control of diamond giant De Beers, buying out South Africa's Oppenheimer family in a $5.1 billion deal that ends the dynasty's direct links to the diamond business after almost a century.

Xstrata wants talks with mining rival Anglo American about a proposed merger of equals worth about $68 billion, seeking increased scale and cost synergies, Xstrata said on Sunday.
Anglo is likely to resist the attempt by Xstrata to forge a